Porsche Convertible D Registry

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Convertible D Exterior Colors

The colors shown are not accurate due to the fact that scanning may alter the colors, computer monitors are not equally calibrated, and the color chart is over 45 years old.

In the book, "Porsche 356 Defined, A Pictorial Guide", Dr. Brett Johnson, writes: "Colors were reportedly limited to Ruby Red, Meissen Blue, Ivory and Silver Metallic." ¹ At left is shown a factory color chart dated 11.58 ², just after Convertible D production began. The chart corroborates that statement. It includes colors for Coupe, Cabriolet, and Convertible (meaning the D model). Hardtop colors for the Cabriolet are also included on the brochure's front cover. In the section of the chart titled "Convertible" it lists interior colors together with the four standard colors for the Convertible D. They are 5702 (Ruby Red), 5703 (Meissen Blue), 5704 (Ivory), and 5706 (Silver Metallic). Note that even in late 1958 the color numbers are prefaced by the number 57.

However, it was also well documented that for an additional cost, one could order a 356 painted in "your choice of color", not normally used in production. The Porsche Accessories brochure, dated February, 1959, for the (late) 356-A lists the following:

300. Special Paint, as offered in the color chart.
301. Special Paint, not offered in the color chart. ²

The book, Porsche Speedster Typ 540: Quintessential Sports Car, Heinrichs, et al, lists all of the Speedster and Convertible D VINs by engine type and color codes. They also provided a chart showing that all 1,330* Convertible Ds were painted in the standard four colors, except for 31** which were painted in 12 other special-order colors. (Note: in the book's Appendix 2, pages 207 and 238, paint nos. 5707 & 707 were listed erroneously as "Aquamarine metallic". They should be written as "Aquamarine Blue" — a non-metallic paint. Paint nos. 5607 and 607 were "Aquamarine Blue Metallic" — a paint for the 356 models produced in 1956.)

Here is the breakdown from the book by paint code number, color and number produced with the errors on #707 Aquamarine Blue corrected: ³:

Paint Code *	Color	No. of Convertible Ds Produced
5706 Enamel	Silver Metallic	376
5702 Enamel	Ruby Red	341
5704 Enamel	Ivory	341
5703 Enamel	Meissen Blue	241
5713 Enamel	Glacier White	8
5701 Enamel	Black	6
740 Enamel	Aetna Blue	3
743 Enamel	Condor Yellow	2
D Enamel	Fern Green	2
739 Enamel	Heron Gray	2
742 Enamel	Royal Blue	2
741 Enamel	Slate Gray	2
705 Enamel	Fjord Green	1
C Enamel	Light Gray	1
707 Enamel	Aquamarine Blue	1
711 Enamel	Orange	1
Unknown	Unknown	1
	Total:	1,331*

Note: 710 Enamel, Stone Gray is the only "Special Paint" offered on the 1957-1959 factory color chart that was not originally painted on a Convertible D. However, at least two current D owners have re-painted their cars that color.

1. Johnson, Dr. Brett, Porsche 356 Defined, A Pictorial Guide (Beeman Jorgensen, Inc., 1996), p. 80.

2. White, Charlie, DerWhite's 356 Porsche Factory Accessories, 1956-1965, (DerWhite Productions, Phoenix, AZ, 2004)

3. Heinrichs, Marinello, Perrin, Raskin, Stoddard and Zingg, Porsche Speedster Typ 540: Quintessential Sports Car (Big Lake Media, Inc., 2004), pp. 207-239.

* According to the 2005 book: Speedster 50th Anniversary: Celebration Of An Icon, co-author Steve Heinrichs writes, "Subsequent research has determined that there was...one more Convertible D." On 356TALK Jan. 15, 2006, Heinrichs mentioned that the additional Conv. D #5601, replacement chassis' color is unknown.

** Additional research by Mr. Heinrichs in 2006 indicates that there was only one Aquamarine Blue (#707) Convertible D, instead of two, giving a total of 31 special-order painted Ds and one more Ivory (#5704) D.

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